The University of Melbourne’s Oceania Institute will host its inaugural Oceania Oration, “Securing and Sustaining Our Pacific – What Will This Take?”, on 22 August 2025, featuring guest speaker Prof. Biman Prasad, Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics.
Prof. Prasad said he was honoured to deliver the first Oceania Oration.
“I look forward to engaging in meaningful dialogue that will strengthen regional cooperation and deepen our collective vision for the future.”
Prof. Prasad, a prominent figure in Fijian politics and academia, will address the changing geopolitics influencing Fiji’s development and the implications for education, health, food security, aid, and governance.
Since December 2022, he has served as Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance. A former Dean of Business and Economics at the University of the South Pacific (USP), he holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Queensland and is currently an adjunct professor at James Cook University and Monash University.
Established in 2024, the Oceania Institute fosters stronger connections in research, education, and innovation, bringing together institutions and communities across the Pacific. The University of Melbourne emphasised its commitment to partnerships across Oceania, recognising that shared futures depend on regional collaboration.
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